News from the Gonzales Ranch

This is a photograph of one of the flower arrangements I have put together from flowers in the garden. I am going to put together a book of all of my flower arrangements for my children. I have about a dozen pictures so far.

Well, it has been a busy week and much was accomplished. The Young Men and Young Women came over to our house for a joint activity and worked in the Welfare Garden. The Lovestedts took the vegetables home - Two big produce boxes - The bishop will have fun giving this food out. The cantelopes are almost ripe and we are excited to taste them.

Allisa turned 9 last week. Evan turns 13 on Monday. The kids have grown like weeds over the summer. Evan is as tall as me. Aislyn is a couple inches shorter. All three successfully completed their first week of school. Only one minor hitch - which resulted in "MAMA BEAR" expressing her displeasure with the school voice mail; the secretary; and the Principal. And there was no appeasing me, no matter how hard the Principal tried. Victor and I now have an appointment with the Principal and all of Evan's teachers. Long story...

I have new responsibilities at work - I have made my boss happy... :)

When I get my first chapter finalized I will post it on my blog - I hope you like it. Any way, this was just a teaser. I will write something worth reading tomorrow. Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

GARDEN VARIETIES

To Answer some questions regarding my garden. The garden was originally setup as a Welfare Garden. The Young Men and Young Women are working on it and produce is harvested and given to the Bishop to give to the needy in our Ward.

We planted 6 zuchinni plants and 6 yellow crookneck plants and have been harvesting squash for a long time. I entered the Yellow crookneck in the fair and was awarded 1st place.

We are growing pumpkin which should be ready for Halloween and Thanksgiving. The youth begged for pumpkins and I gave in.

I love making Salsa and completed in the Spicy Salsa Competition at the Fair. I was awarded Honorable Mention. I will compete again next year. I need to add Habanero chiles to the garden for my fresh garden salsa recipe. Yes, we like it HOT!

We planted strawberries but nothing has happened with them. Probably won't have strawberries until the rainy season.

We have planted 4 varieties of tomatoes. We have Cherry Tomatoes, Celebrity Tomatoes, Early Girl Tomatoes & Heirloom Tomatoes. All are quite tasty! In my planter near the house I am growing Zebra Tomoatoes. No fruit yet.

We have two avocado trees. They are currently growing leaves and not much else. We will have fruit in winter.
We have canteloupe. They are growing but not ready for harvest.
We have corn. We have harvested the corn and will be planting another crop in the next couple weeks.
We have two varieties of cucumbers. Slicing cucumbers and burpless. They are very sweet and we have been harvesting about every other day.
We have many Thompson Seedless Grapes. They are sweet but small. Still working on the grapes. Still learning about them and how to get them bigger.

GREETINGS TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS

It was great to read the comments from some of my family members.

Things that are new and exciting that I wanted to share:

1) This year at the Ventura County Fair the Gonzales Family entered over 150 entries and competed in a couple of contests. Most exciting for this year, I participated in the Table Setting Contest and was awarded 1st place for a Themed Table Setting: LUAU - Aloha Beach Wedding Reception. The short story posted on my blog entitled: The Woods was also entered in the Ventura County Fair and I was awarded 1st place in the category of Non-Fiction Nature Story. Competing in the fair I was awarded $125.

2) I am currently writing a book and have been e-mailing a publisher and should have a book ready for publication in about 6 months. Victor is excited that I have finally decided to buckle down and get my ideas down on paper.

3) Healthfront: Still seeing the doctor. I am scheduled to have kryotherapy on September 8th. Not a fun procedure, but hopefully this will eradicate the abnormal cells. Will know more in about two weeks.

4) Working in the yard/garden and learning a lot. Planning for future entries in the fair. I plan to enter more flowers and arrangements next year. I have been practicing making arrangements and plan to take a couple of classes.

MY WALK WITH JESUS CHRIST

I walked along the paths of right
Until I stood at the gate of night.
I unlatched the latch and entered in
And found myself upon paths of sin.

I wandered miles and miles,
And days and nights
Until my soul awakened with a terrible fright.

“Oh!” I cried in tempest’s roar.
I plead with God, “Please, no more!”

I sought for love and comfort there
And found my Savior had been waiting there.

“My child,” He said in kindest tone,
“I love you so.” and then he groaned.
“I understand your pain.” He said
As my eyes moistened and my nose turned red.

“I watched you travel the paths of light,
But then you wandered in the night.
I prayed for you and tried to touch your heart,
But you could not see in the thick black dark.”

“My child, I grew sad upon your choice
And wished to hear your sweet soft voice.
“I watched you as you continued to fall
And wished that you would be humble enough to call.”

“Then one night in deepest anguish
I felt a tug upon my sleeve.
“I turned and looked with anxious love
There you were on bended knee.”

“I picked you up.
I embraced your soul.
“I even carried you through the knolls.
After traveling days and nights,


“And working with all my strength and might.
We worked our way home from wretched nights
“And walked into the bright warm light.

“I woke you from your slumber deep,
And set you down upon your feet.

“Thank you, Lord for blessing me,
And seeing that my soul was freed.

I watched as the Savior ascended to God
When I could see him no more,
I bowed my head and thanked him once more.
I looked to the left and beheld the rod.
And determined that I would forever hold on.

With prayerful thought, I took each step
And proceeded through life upon eternal precept.
I continued to walk the paths of light,
And I have found joy in doing right.

THE ATONEMENT

The first four Articles of Faith provide the core beliefs as latter day saints and the key elements of the Atonement.

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In 2 Nephi chapter 2, Lehi is speaking to his son, Jacob. When he is speaking to his son, Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Lehi said that “by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off”. To be justified is to be reconciled to God, pardoned from punishment for sin, and declared righteous and guiltless. As mortal sons and daughters capable of sin, the law cuts us off and prevents us from being justified. When we disobey the commandments, we become guilty and unclean, and no unclean thing can dwell with God.

Since we cannot be justified by the law, how can we be justified and made worthy to enter God’s presence?

2 Nephi 2 6-8:

"6. Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.
7. Behold, he offered himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
8. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise."

Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can repent and be forgiven of our sins.

When Lehi said that the Savior would “answer the ends of the law: he was referring to the consequences of the Fall and to the “punishment that is affixed” for disobedience to God’s commandments.

President Joseph F. Smith said, “Jesus came and suffered, ‘the just for the unjust,’ he that was without sin for him that had sinned, and was subjected to the penalty of the law which the sinner had transgressed.”

Even as Adam and Eve were given the freedom to choose for themselves, we have been given this same agency. When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit they made it possible for us to come to this earth and make choices for ourselves. We can choose to do good or we can choose to do evil.

Elder Joseph B Wirthlin taught: “The Lord has given you the gift of agency and instructed you sufficiently to know good from evil. You are free to choose and are permitted to act, but you are not free to choose the consequences. With absolute certainty, choices of good and right lead to happiness and peace, while choices of sin and evil eventually lead to unhappiness, sorrow, and misery.”

The Atonement of Jesus Christ; the central event in the plan of salvation; saves all from both temporal death and spiritual death. Temporal death is the death of the physical body and the separation of the spirit from the physical body. As a result of the Fall of Adam, all people will die temporally. Spiritual death is separation from the presence of God. We are all separated from God as a result of the Fall of Adam. We further separate ourselves from God when we sin.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected - saved from temporal death. Without the power of Christ’s resurrection both temporal and spiritual death would be permanent. We would be shut out from God’s presence forever, and our spirits would be subject to Satan. We would “remain with the father of lies, in misery.”

2 Nephi 9:6-9

6. For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reasons of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.
7. Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement - save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgement which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
8. O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal god, and became the devil, to rise no more.
9. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformed himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all people will be restored to God’s presence to be judged. However, not all people will be “saved in the Kingdom of God”, or permitted to dwell in God’s presence forever.
There are some things we must do to be “saved in the Kingdom of God:

1. First we must believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and come unto Him. The First Article of Faith stated that We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost.
The Fourth Article of Faith states that we must First have Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ before we are asked to repent.
2. We must endure the crosses of the world and despise the shame of the world. 2 Nephi 9:18.
3. We must hearken to the voice of the Lord. 2 Nephi 9:21
4. We must repent, be baptized , and endure to the end. 2 Nephi 9:23-24 The second principle in the fourth article of faith is repentance after which we are expected to be baptized for a remission of our sins. Following our baptism we are then confirmed as a member of the church and given the opportunity to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. These saving ordinances open the door to our Heavenly Father’s kingdom.
5. Be spiritually minded. 2 Nephi 9:39
6. “Feast upon that which perisheth not.” 2 Nephi 9:50-51
7. Remember the words of God. 2 Nephi 9:52.

Each week we have an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenants. In those sacred prayers we are asked to remember our Savior. And it’s not just Him as a person, it is all that he has taught. Those things can be found in the scriptures.

8. Pray continually and give thanks. Prayer is powerful and it is the best way to communicate with our Father in Heaven. As the sacred hymn testifies; Prayer is the Soul’s sincere desire uttered or unexpressed. Our Father in Heaven hears our prayers and will answer them.

In 1833 the saints in Missouri were being persecuted. They suffered physically and also lost their property. Due to the great suffering of the saints the Lord gave revelation to Joseph Smith. It is found in D&C 98:1-3:

“Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks; Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament - the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted. Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.”

In the Book of Mormon the power of prayer as part of the repentance process has been testified of by many of the prophets. Enos had a total change of heart resulting in a renewed Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; understanding the healing power and miracle of the Atonement he was filled with Hope. After receiving a remission of his sins and knew that God had forgiven him he was filled with Charity - a deep concern for the salvation of his brethren and even his enemies.

In his article, entitled: Who Is Jesus Christ?, President Boyd K Packer spoke of the Atonement:

“Before the Cruicifixion and afterward, many men have willingly given their lives in selfless acts of heroism. But non faced what Christ endured. Upon Him was the burden of all human transgression, all human guilt. And hanging in the balance was the Atonement. Through His willing act, mercy and justice could be reconciled, eternal law sustained, and that mediation achieved without which mortal man could not be redeemed.
“He by choice accepted the penalty in behalf of all mankind for the sum total of all wickedness and depravity; for brutality; immorality, perversion, and corruption; for addiction; for the killings and torture and terror -- for all of it that ever had been or all that ever would be enacted upon this earth. In so choosing He faced the awesome power of the evil one, who was not confined to flesh nor subject to mortal pain. That was Gethsemane!
How the Atonement was wrought we do not know. No mortal watched as evil turned away and hid in shame before the Light of that pure being. All wickedness could not quench that Light. When what was done was done, the ransom had been paid. Both death and hell forsook their claim on all who would repent. Men at last were free. Then every sould who ever lived could choose to touch that Light and be redeemed.
By this infinite sacrifice, “through [this] Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

THE WOODS

The old wooden bridge echoed each step as the heel of my black leather boots tapped the slats that stretched the width of the winter river below. As I walked, my slender piano fingers glided over the splintered railing to the rhythm of the rushing water underfoot. My fingers searched for the smooth silvery heads of the nails amidst the weathered splinter wood. With each needle-sharp snag my hand jumped slightly to avoid sticking myself.
I had spent most of the day poolside to escape the almost unbearable hot and sticky weather, which frequented the summer days of Indiana. As the afternoon wore on the air became cooler, especially above the river. The breeze seemed to rise up from the vast watery bed as the icy river rushed over the rocks and boulders that had been precariously strewn about by some act of nature or God.
I stopped for a moment to watch the white caps slap the large rounded rocks embedded in the smooth silvery-gray clay soil. The icy spray of the river stung my face like tiny shards of glass. Yet, it was still refreshing. It felt good standing there. The air smelled of spring, with its various fragrances of dandelions, poppies, wild violets, pink roses and wet grass. The song of the blue jay and sparrow harmonized with the rushing wind sounds of the river and the distant screech of a hawk. My eyes were treated by the brilliant greens that lined the river bed. The long reeds of the pussy willow and cat tales were beautifully decorated by white and yellow lilies. The wild strawberries looked like spots of blood against the black twisted trunks of the pines and great oak trees.
The breeze and icy spray chilled my skin, causing goose pimples to erupt up and down my bare arms. Anxious to warm myself, I quickly resumed my walk across the bridge to the dirt road ahead. My right foot faltered as I stepped down onto the gravel. The crunching reminded me of the sound inside one’s head while eating “wheat thins.”
The road before me lay parallel to the river. I looked to the left and saw a long dry shade-less journey back to camp. To the right lay a path I had not yet traveled. The idea of adventure and a trip down a green canopied road was inviting.
The crunching below my feet, the babbling river and the songs of birds mingled with the occasional rustle of oak leaves above me. The rushing sounds all around had a hypnotizing effect as I floated up the road.
As I wandered aimlessly, I didn’t notice the gradual narrowing of the road into a path winding through the dense foliage of fern and stinging nettle. The damp black trunks quickly closed in around me creating a prison cell effect. Soon all sounds of life seemed to dwindle into soft whispers and only an occasional rustle was heard in the brush. Off in the distance the winds on the plains could be heard, like the sound of the ocean in a sea shell. I stopped to look around and noticed that the path was leading into a green mossy swamp.
I bent over to feel the velvet like covering of the swamp and jumped back when a football size bull frog croaked. Just a few feet away sat a couple more bull frogs on large plate size lily pads.
The musty stale air tickled my nose every time I inhaled. Looking up, the sky appeared to have a green tint and all light seems to be coming from all that was green around me. Feeling a little like Dorothy visiting the Emerald City, I was excited for what might come next. Wondering if the swamp would glow a luminous green at midnight with the occasional flashing star-light of fire-flies. Would it be as bright and brilliant as it was at that very moment?
Wanting to see what was beyond, I gingerly crossed the path to the other side of the swamp, trying to avoid the puddles and mud, so as not to dirty the boots. It seemed to get warmer the further I walked away from the river and up the hill. I could barely hear its rushing waters. The path must have detoured away from the river.
After fighting my way through stinging nettle and various other irritating plants like poison oak and poison ivy, I stepped out into the bright sunlight and came upon a clearing about the size of a small dining room. It may have been 10 feet in diameter. The towering trees provided shelter from the heat and the distant breeze of the plains. In the middle lay a small fire ring, obviously arranged by someone not too long ago. The fire pit smelled strong of smoke and wet ash.
I poked around in the remains to see if there was anything worth taking or examining. There wasn’t much, just scraps of a magazine or newspaper, a match book from the Hilton in Lafayette, a couple cigarette butts and a rusted old can. This didn’t tell me much, so I began to explore the surroundings. Among the dense growth of fern and vine that twined around the massive trunks of ancient trees I found beautiful raspberry bushes laden with ripe red and purple berries. They were sweet with a bit of a bite and had lots of tiny seeds that would weasel their way between my molars. Little red beads of blood simultaneously appeared as my searching fingers were punctured by the tiny thorns that covered the branches and stems of the raspberry plants.
After taking my fill it was time to move on. I started back the way I came when I saw out of the corner of my eye a path going up hill. At closer examination, a crude staircase of old logs and railroad ties ascended to the top. Still in an adventurous mode, I climbed the hill.
Bright light blinded my vision as I stepped out into an open field. I staggered slightly as the oven like air of the open field enveloped me. After a few moments I realized that I had stumbled onto the backside of the archery range of Camp Carey. This was the end of my adventure… at least for this day… a summer day in my youth.